How to Report Fraud and Corruption?

Our ability to combat fraud, corruption and other Prohibited Practices is largely based on cooperation received from others, and information provided by reporting parties and gathered through investigations of the Office of institutional Integrity (OII).

Reports to OII may be made by any of the following means:

By Mail or in Person:

Inter-American Development Bank 1300 New York Avenue, N.W., Office of Institutional Integrity, Washington, D.C. 20577, USA Mail should be marked “Personal and Confidential”

Online:

E-Mail:

By Phone:

(877) 223-4551 Toll free from the U.S. Fees apply to calls from other countries.

By Fax:

(1-202) 312-4019 Long distance charges apply.

Allegations made to others in the Bank, including the President, Vice Presidents, Managers, or the Bank's Country Office Representatives in each of its borrowing member countries, as well as in Madrid, Spain and Tokyo, Japan will be immediately forwarded to OII.

What should you include in your report?

Please provide as much detail as possible, including the following:

If available, name and number of IDB Group-financed project.

Who do you think committed fraud or corruption? Who else might have been involved?

What happened? Describe the events with as much relevant detail as possible.

When did it happen? Dates, time, how many times, etc.

Where did it happen? Include not only the city and country, but, if possible, an actual address, the name of the building, the office number, etc.

Who else might have information?

Who will know that you made a report?

When you report an allegation, you can identify yourself or you can do it anonymously. If you identify yourself, your identity will be kept confidential by the OII, except as needed to permit an investigation to be undertaken (if appropriate), and to respond to the concerns presented. Further information on the treatment of confidential information in the context of reporting allegations may be found in the Bank’s policy for whistleblower protection.

An individual who chooses to report anonymously (i.e. without providing his or her name) should keep in mind that if his or her identity is not known by the Bank, it would not be possible for the Bank to provide the resources and protections afforded by the Bank’s policy for whistleblower protection. However, If you prefer to remain anonymous, you should know that anonymous allegations are often more difficult to pursue and therefore you are encouraged to provide as much details as you possess about the suspected acts of fraud and corruption.

How does the IDB protect Whistleblowers and Witnesses?

The Bank’s policy for whistleblower protection expressly prohibits acts of retaliation against Bank employees and external parties that report allegations of fraud or corruption or cooperate with Bank authorities in the context of investigations, audits or other inquiries. This policy also establishes the measures the Bank will take to prevent retaliation against employees and external parties that make a report.